I’m just getting home from celebrating Christmas with my Dad which is miracle of it’s own. If you had asked me as a teenager, would I spend the holiday’s with my dad as an adult….I would have said,"No way," and not in the nicest way either. I was a bitter angry girl where hatred resided deep within my soul, but I’ll share more of my story another day. I will say that is one of forgiveness, restoration and allowing myself to be loved. There’s a guy named Joseph who shares a similar story. You can find his story in Genesis starting at Chapter 37 through the end of Genesis. Joseph’s story is complicated, and full of so much pain. His brothers turn against him and set out to kill him, but later change their minds to selling him as a slave. For the next decade he was a slave, and then put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But through all the hardships he finds favor, and at 30 years old is put in charge over Egypt since a famine was coming, and God had given him a plan for all of the people to survive it.I’ve always wondered while reading his story what emotions did he feel towards his brothers, did he hate them, did he wonder why they didn’t love him enough, did he suffer from depression?

There’s an encounter later in Genesis where they are reunited, and the first time he sees them he weeps. He gives them food in the midst of famine, and later when their dad dies, He tells them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives…” Genesis 50:20. Good can come out of our stories, but I believe there is a healing process we have to go through where we forgive those who've harmed us. For some it was our parents, for others it was a family member, or even ourselves. Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive? Would you begin to ask God to help you forgive this person, and to have Him show you how your story can in fact be used for His good? Sometimes our anger can hinder us from being able to see the good that can come out of our stories. I know that’s true for my story! #clickforhope#shareyourstory#yourstorymatters#forgive#forgiveness#inspire#encourage

Hi I'm Jasmine!

Welcome to my blog where I long to make a difference in the world through photographing and sharing inspiring stories. Look around, be inspired and send some love! We are based in Chicago, but love traveling!

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